[Bolivia] “Change in Bolivia starts from our hearts!”

On November 1st, Pastor Ki-Sung Kim was invited to La Paz, the capital of Bolivia, which is 4000 meters above sea level, and various events were held, such as a Bible seminar and a graduation ceremony for the theology and mind education of prisoners across the country in Bolivia.

* Prison Seminary Graduation Ceremony

After signing an MOU with the Bolivian Correctional Institution in August 2020, theology and mind education for inmates started through TVs donated to each prison. It started educating 1,500 inmates in 200 prisons across the country. There were many difficulties, but as the two years of education continued, the graduation ceremony of the inmates who received theology and mind education was held.

Due to the nature of the prison, graduates could not gather in one place, so a seminary graduation ceremony was held in one of the auditoriums of San Pedro Prison. The graduation ceremony was recorded here and held at other prisons, and about 700 people across the country graduated at the same time.

At the graduation ceremony, Bolivian Correctional Superintendent Carlos Juan attended and said, “Through the prison seminary conducted by the Good News Mission, the hearts of the inmates change, making not only themselves but also those around them happy. I would like to thank the missionary and Pastor Ki-Sung Kim for leading the hopeless inmates to happiness.”

In a lecture, Pastor Ki-seong Kim said, “If you keep thinking ‘no,’ you will come back even if you are released from prison. So, we need to give up the thought of ‘No’ and change our mind to ‘I can’. Now, I hope that everyone will abandon the idea that they are sinners and live a happy life by believing in the word that they have been made righteous.”

* Marriage in prison

Soon after, the wedding ceremony of the inmates who graduated from seminary was held. There are many inmates who do not get married for economic reasons and live as a couple. The wedding was held so that these prisoners could receive God's grace and live a new life.

The representative of the correctional office sent a congratulatory speech, saying, “Watching the inmate couples marching with congratulations from their families and colleagues, I received a hope that God would do a great job among them.”

Pastor Ki-Sung Kim delivered the message, saying, “If you let go of the thought that ‘God doesn’t work for me,’ you can live as the happiest couple in the world.”

* Generacion de Fuego Church Bible Conference

From October 31st to November 2nd, a Bible seminar was held with 500 attendees at Generacion de Fuego Church. In addition, 3,536 lines participated through YouTube and Facebook for 3 days.

On the first day, Pastor Ki-Sung Kim preached the Gospel and said, “Edison never tried to be a genius. When he already heard and believed through his mother that God had made him a genius, he was able to leave behind many useful inventions in the world as a genius. We too are not justified by the works and efforts of the law, but by believing that we have already been justified by the blood of Jesus.”

The second and third days he clearly explained the process of washing away our sins through the tabernacle. “All our sins are written on the horns and on our hearts. But with the blood of Jesus painted on the horns and heart, God no longer remembers any sin. That is why God says that we have been justified by grace without any cost!”

* Correction Office Executive Mind Education

Since March 2021, Pastor Ock Soo Park has been invited as a lecturer five times in Bolivia, and Mind Education has been continued with the correctional authorities, such as providing Bolivia [National Prison Executive Mind Education] through the video conferencing application (Zoom).

This year, at the invitation of Pastor Ki-Sung Kim, mind education was held for prison officials across the country both in-person and online. Hernan Romero, director of the Bolivian Correctional Service's security department, delivered congratulatory remarks that this mind education will improve the minds of prison officials and will have a positive impact on inmates.

Instructor Pastor Kim Ki-seong said, “The fish called ‘koi’ can grow to only 5 cm in a fish tank, but can grow to 125 cm in a river. We too will live completely different lives depending on what kind of heart we have and what we say and live,” and the officers of the correctional office expressed their hopes, saying, ‘We must also learn to live with a broad mind and abandon our narrow minds."

* Mind Lecture at Udabol Theological Seminary

On the morning of Saturday, October 29, 300 students of theology department at Udabol Theological Seminary listened to Pastor Ki-Sung Kim's words in-person and online. Most of these seminaries are current pastors, and the dean conducted this seminar as a formal class.

President Antonio Saavedra Muñoz said, “Most of our colleges are pastors. Your words are truly amazing. Lecturers come often and share this gospel. I would like to hear lectures like this as an official class in our school in the future.” On this day, many pastors became convinced of their salvation.

* Mind education at UMSS University in Cochabamba and visit to El Abra prison

On Tuesday, November 1, Pastor Ki-Sung Kim and his party moved to Cochabamba, an hour away by plane, for mind education at UMSS University and education at the Cochabamba Correctional Service. The mind education program was conducted for the president of UMSS University Julio Cesar, 25 government and university officials, and 250 students.

After the university signed an MOU in August 2021, many young people are being connected by conducting several academies within the school. And 150 inmates attended the mind education and completion ceremony of El Abra Prison, and the message of God's hope to many inmates and related parties.

* Invitational Bible Seminar Held at Oruro Tabernacle Evangelism Church

At 8 p.m., the pastor of the Tabernacle Evangelism Church in Oruro, which is 4 hours away from the capital, was connected through the CLF and the members wanted to hear the gospel, so Pastor Ki-sung Kim was invited to worship.

Lecturer Pastor Ki-Sung Kim said, “God speaks to you. ‘I gave it all to you, I gave you salvation, and the blood of Jesus washed all your sins two thousand years ago! Why do you say you are a sinner, why do you say you can't go to heaven! The devil is deceiving. No one is going to hell in this place. Because of Jesus, we are all going to heaven. Faith is believing that God has given us everything.” He preached the gospel powerfully. It was a time for believers to receive the assurance of salvation while listening to the correct gospel.

Through this Bible seminar and the graduation ceremony held by the correctional office for the first time since Corona, God's work was clearly seen. Lecturer Pastor Kim Ki-sung said, "When you attend this seminar, you may have come with difficult and hard problems, but when you return home after finishing, you will put down your worries and return with happiness and hope." A Good News Bolivian Church member said, "I was able to see so many people hearing the word of God and returning with a happy and joyful heart. In the future, we have decided to establish churches in various prisons in Bolivia and continue to preach the gospel, and people who are living in sin without hope. I hope to meet this heart of God and live a new life.”